Window Blinds Buying Guide

Selecting appropriate window coverings is vital, transcending simple visual considerations. Blinds stand out for their adaptability and practical benefits, improving not just the look of your interiors but also offering enhanced privacy, managing light exposure, and boosting energy savings. This detailed guide will cover the advantages of window blinds and examine the characteristics of well-known varieties such as Duette®, Sonnette™, Roller, Wooden, Venetian, and Plissé shades. We'll discuss essential aspects to help guide your choice, ensuring a well-informed purchase.

Window Blinds Benefits

Blinds, in their various styles and designs, deliver numerous advantages. Exploring these benefits further reveals the significant impact blinds can have in any space.

Light Control

Blinds enable the regulation of natural light infiltration into a room. Whether you aim to fashion a luminous, spacious atmosphere or to shield against sunlight for improved rest, blinds furnish the adaptability to manage illumination based on your requirements and personal taste.

Privacy Assurance

Blinds offer reliable privacy protection. Depending on the type of blind and material used, you can select blinds that guarantee full privacy or those that softly diffuse light while still preventing intrusion from outside observers.

Energy efficiency

Incorporating blinds into a space is not just about controlling light and privacy; it also significantly impacts energy efficiency. By serving as an insulating barrier, blinds help stabilise room temperatures, lessening the demand for heating and cooling appliances. This adjustment can lead to noticeable reductions in energy consumption. The thermal benefits of blinds are often rooted in their construction or the choice of material, making them an eco-friendly addition to any setting.

The Wide Range of Blinds Available

Offering unparalleled versatility, blinds feature a broad assortment of styles, fabrics, and colour options. This diversity allows for easy customisation, enabling homeowners to select the perfect match for their home's aesthetic.

Simple Maintenance

Unlike many window covering options, blinds offer the advantage of being relatively easy to clean and sustain. Regularly dusting them or wiping them down generally keeps them looking new. It's important, though, to consult the manufacturer's care instructions for the best results.

Motorisation

Motorised blinds represent a growing trend in modern window treatments, underlining the importance of knowing which blinds are compatible with motorisation. For those prioritising convenience, choosing between blinds that can be controlled via remote, smart devices, or voice-activated home systems is crucial. The absence of cords in some electric blinds enhances child safety by eliminating the legal requirement for additional safety devices necessary for corded options.

Key Considerations for Selecting Blinds

Window Dimensions and Styles: When choosing blinds, it's crucial to assess the dimensions and architecture of the windows they will adorn. Larger windows might be complemented by certain styles of blinds, whereas smaller or atypical windows, like bay windows, may require custom solutions. It's important to note that not every blind is adaptable to unconventional window shapes.

Room Purpose: The functionality of a room greatly influences the type of blinds that should be installed. Bedrooms, for instance, can greatly benefit from blinds made of blackout materials to ensure a conducive sleeping environment, while living spaces might be more suited to light-filtering blinds for a well-lit, inviting atmosphere. Similarly, the unique environmental demands of bathrooms and kitchens—such as moisture resistance in bathrooms or durability in kitchens—should guide the choice of blinds.

Design Harmony and Customisation Options: Your home's aesthetic should guide the selection of blinds, aiming to find options that not only match but elevate the existing decor. The vast array of available colours, materials, and designs, from sheer to blackout fabrics or various finishes for wooden blinds, offers ample opportunity for tailoring your choice to your home’s style and requirements.

Types of Made to Measure Blinds

Within the extensive world of window decor, made-to-measure blinds stand out for their vast selection.

We'll take a closer look at the various blind styles, their material compositions, and the distinctive benefits they provide.

Duette® Shades

Superior Insulation with Honeycomb Design: Duette® shades, known for their unique honeycomb design, create thermal pockets that reduce heat transfer. This keeps your home warm in cold months and cool in hot ones, ensuring a comfortable climate all year round.

Noise Reduction for Serene Living Spaces: Duette® shades feature a honeycomb design that boosts energy efficiency and reduces noise. Choosing these shades creates a quieter, more peaceful home by blocking external sounds.

Customisable Light Control: The Duette® shades collection offers various opacity levels, giving you the freedom to control the amount of natural light in your room. Whether you want softly diffused light for brightness and privacy or a darker setting to improve sleep quality, there's a Duette® shade that fits your needs.

Sonnette Shades™

Soft, Diffused Light: Sonnette shades™ are designed to provide gentle, diffused light that enhances the ambience of any room. Their unique construction combines the elegance of traditional roller shades with the functionality of cellular blinds, resulting in a soft glow that illuminates the space while maintaining privacy.

Energy Efficiency: Sonnette shades™ are engineered to improve energy efficiency by reducing heat transfer through windows. The innovative design traps air within the cellular pockets, creating a barrier that helps to insulate the room and regulate indoor temperatures. This can lead to decreased reliance on heating and cooling systems, ultimately saving energy and reducing utility costs.

Roller Blinds

Uncomplicated Elegance: Roller blinds embody a streamlined and uncluttered look that blends seamlessly with modern decor. Their straightforward design enhances interior aesthetics without overwhelming the space.

Tailored to Fit Your Style: The adaptability of roller blinds lies in their wide-ranging customisation options. Choose from an array of fabrics, including airy sheers, as well as a palette of colours and patterns to personalise your living environment to your tastes.

Efficient Use of Space: When lifted, roller blinds retract smoothly, occupying minimal space while maximising your view. This space-efficient feature makes them an excellent alternative to bulkier types of window coverings, ensuring a tidy look and expansive vistas.

Wood Blinds

Timeless Natural Beauty: Wood blinds infuse your living spaces with the natural charm and warmth of real wood, enhancing your home with their organic appeal and elegant aesthetics.

Long-Lasting Elegance: Thanks to their robust construction, made-to-measure wood blinds stand the test of time, offering both a visually appealing and functional solution for any room. For areas with high moisture, such as kitchens and bathrooms, opting for faux wood blinds can provide the same stylish look with added practicality.

Precision Light Control: Featuring adjustable louvres, wood blinds grant you meticulous command over the room's lighting levels. These horizontal slats can be tilted for optimal light and privacy control, allowing for the perfect balance of illumination and concealment to suit your preference.

Plissé Blinds

Adjustable Light Filtering for Any Occasion: Plissé blinds are designed for flexible light management, enabling the precise filtering or complete blocking of sunlight according to your needs. This adaptability ensures the perfect ambience at any time of day.

Sleek Design Maximising View and Light: With their compact design, Plissé blinds tuck away neatly when fully opened. This feature not only provides a clear, unhindered view but also maximises the entry of natural light, enhancing the brightness and openness of your space.

Variety of Fabrics: Offering a selection of materials ranging from light-diffusing to solar-reflective fabrics, Plissé blinds allow you to tailor the levels of privacy and sunlight in your rooms. This variety offers a personalised solution to meet the unique demands of each space in your home.

Electric blinds

It's worth discussing which blinds are available as made to measure electric blinds at this stage. Currently, Duette®, Sonnette™ and Roller blinds are all available as electric blinds for side windows, with Duette® and Plissé also available as sky lantern blinds. They're an ideal choice if you're a lover of technology, as you can use an app to control them, or if you like Alexa and Google Home these blinds can be integrated with a compatible device via a smart hub. For hard-to-reach blinds or multiple blinds in a room, electric blinds are a great choice.

Conclusion

When you're in the market for new blinds, remember that finding the right ones involves more than just their look. Assess the advantages each style brings to the table, how they meet the specific requirements of light and privacy in your rooms, and how they align with your personal taste. From the energy-saving features of Duette® shades and the classic sophistication of Sonnette™ shades to the minimalist appeal of Roller blinds, the warm aesthetics of Wood blinds, or the adaptable functionality of Plissé blinds, there's a wide array to choose from. This comprehensive guide is designed to arm you with all the knowledge needed to pick out blinds that not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home but also its comfort and livability.

Book Appointment